Internal-combustion engine.



A. PEYTOUREAU.

!NTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-27.1913.

1,1 89,477. Patented July 4, 1916.

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A. PEYTOUHEAU.

lNTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FlLED JAN-27,19I3. 1 189.,477.

2 8HEETSSHEET 2.

Patented July 4, 1916.

4TTY.

ABEL PEYTOUREAU, 0F TUIl'IS, TUNIS.

I INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4, 1916.

Application filed January 27, 1913. Serial No. 744,366.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ABEL PEYTOUREAU, of 98Rue dAutriche, Tunis, Tunis, Africa, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Internal- Combustion Engines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to explosion or in- I suitable curve at thejunctions of the reverse halves of the groove to prevent jamming of themembers carried by the piston rods), this semi-helicoidal cam groovebeing pref erably of uniform pitch; about this shaft are mounted aplurality of pairs of cylinders facing each other and having theirrespective piston rods coupled together, and operated by pins or membersworking in the said cam, groove. By this means the operation of thepistons is synchronous in relation to the rotation of the driving shaft,each revolution of the shaft corresponding to a to and. fro motionofeach coupled pair of piston rods. It is, thus possible to vary thenumber of cylinders within wide limits and to employ a large number ofcylinders, a matter of particular advantage in regard to engines foraerial work.

The invention further consists in providing between the shaft and thenon-rotating part of the engine, ball bearings and ball thrust hearingsor like vanti-friction bearings adapted to take the aXial and radialthrusts and thus reduce friction to a minimum. The pins or members thatwork in the semihelicoidal groove are likewise preferably provided withantifriction rollers fitted with ball bearings. v

The invention comprises other improvements which will appear from thefollowing detail description and the claiming clauses.

The accompanying diagrammatic drawings illustrate a motor constructed toembody the improvements of the present inventlon.

Figures 1 and 1 represent a longitudinal mid-section of the motor whichis of the four stroke cycle type. elevation of one of the drum-likeelements constituted by the cylinders mounted in circular partitionplates referred to later. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of Fig. 2;Fig. 4: is a diagrammatic cross section of the cylindrical frame servingas a connection between the two motor groups and for guiding theconnecting. rods of the pistons Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on thecentral vertical plane of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an elevation of an end frameof the motor showing the rocking levers for operating the exhaustvalves; Figs. 7 and 8 show in longitudinal section and face view one ofthe fly-wheel disks.

To explain the application of the helicoidal principle, let us considera helicoidal path having a pitch at least double the diameter, of theshaft. Take any starting point, say a, Fig. 1, and turn the shaft. Onreaching a after a half revolution from the starting point a, let usreverse the direction of helicoidal path and continue 'rotating theshaft in the same direction and we shall return to the starting point a.According to the invention therefore I provide on the shaft a singlehelicoidal groove or guide-way partly of one direction and partly of theopposite direction and preferably of constant pitch, in which work themembers in connection with the connecting rods of the motor pistons, asuitable curve being given to the junctions of the right and left handedhelicoidal groove or guide-way at a and a" in order to avoid jamming ofthe members carried by the rods,.which are coupled in pairs as describedlater.

. A, Figs. 1, 7 and 8, represents the shaft having a thicker portion Ain which is formed the right. and left handed helicoidal groove A inwhich work guide rollers .0 mounted on pins 0 which couple correspondingpairs of. connecting rods D of the motor. The rollers 0" arepreferablyfitted with ball bearings c in order further'to reduce friction.

Referring to Fig. 1, the cylinders B of the motor with their. connectingrods D and pistons G are mounted parallel to the shaft A which is formedwith two cylindrical portions or flanges E serving both for reinforcingthe right and left handed helicoidal groove and as a fly-wheel. Assumingthe shaft to be set in rotation, the first half revolution will impart astroke to the pistons C and C which are at 180 to each other; this willbe the first period (suction). The continuation of the motion will bringthe pistons C and C back to their original positions, and this will bethe second period (compression). The third period (explosion) will takeplace by the same movement as described for the first period, and as theshaft continues to rotate in the same direction, the fourth period(exhaust) will take place by the same movement as the second period. Thesetting of the cylinders relatively to the shaft is thus determined,since two pistons act at 180 to each other on two points and giverotation in the same direction.

The pistons C and C do the same work as the foregoing, but at one periodbehind same, and the succeeding pistons continue this same work,according to the angle at which the cylinders are set relatively to eachother around the shaft.

To avoid defects of balance which might occur, I prefer to employ aconsiderable number of cylinders say twelve, fourteen, sixteen, or more,coupled in pairs as eX- plained, and disposed around the shaft atangular distances apart depending upon the number employed, the motorbeing regulated so that the explosions follow each other and give acontinual thrust in the semihelicoidal groove.

Arrangement of the cyZimZers.The two groups of cylinders are eachmounted in a nickel-steel frame, one of which is shown separately inFigs. 2 and 3. Said frame comprises three partitions F, G, H, the lastmentioned having a flange I and the others double flanges I I. Theseflanges serve for fixing the jacket or casing of the motor, which willbe of thin electrolytic copper to facilitate cooling. The threepartitions, F, G, H, are each formed with a number of holes Jcorresponding to the number of cylinders in a group, say six, seven oreight, and bored to fit the outside of the cylinders. Each cylinder hasthree flanges or abutments K and three screw threaded parts L to receivescrew threaded rings M serving to clamp the flanges of the cylindersagainst the partitions and screw threaded rings serving to clamp thecylinder heads against the flanges K and form a rigid structure. Thisarrangement of parts might be compared to the breech-drum of a revolver.Two such drums are required for a motor, since each comprises a group ofcylinders.

It remains to assemble the two groups in such manner that the partfulfilling this purpose shall be light and strong, and at the same timeserve as a longitudinal guide for the connecting rods. This partconsists of a cylindrical frame l of nickel steel, see

Figs. 1, a and 5, bored internally to a diamare fitted withanti-friction devices such as balls to form an anti-friction slidewayfor the ends of the connecting rods.

Shoulders or projections O are provided on the circular frame N to fitin grooves P (see Fig. 3) formed in the inner partitions F of the drumsand to be secured by bolts.

The drum-like frames that support the cylinders have a tubular portionor casing It surrounding the shaft and formed at the ends with cages Rin which are fitted the ball bearings R and the ball thrust bearings Rof the shaft A, the former serving to avoid friction and the latter toeliminate the end thrust of the pistons. The central tubular portion Rwill serve at the same time as a casing for the shaft and as a waterjacket.

Zl[0tz'0n.-The ends of alined connecting rods D fit together with ascarf or overlapping joint so as to prevent distortion in any direction.The parts thus fitted together are secured by a pin 0 on which aremounted rollers c fitted with ball bearings c and running in thesemi-helicoidal groove for transmitting the impulse thereto. Plates fforming part of the connecting rods D carry the suction valves 3.

At the outer. ends of the cylinders are fitted exhaust valves 9 actuatedby a system of rods U passing through tubes disposed between thecylinders and rocking levers U, Figs. 1 and 6, the whole being actuatedby a double cam groove S, Figs. 7 and 8, cut in the outer faces of thefiy-wheels E of the shaft A and intersecting each other at a given pointof the face of the fly-wheel, so that the ends of the rods actuating thevalves only once in two revolutions of the shaft meet a boss formed inone of the grooves, the whole being combined in such manner that thevalves open and close according to the periods required for the exhaust.

The ignition may be effected by a high tension magneto and sparkingplugs.

The high tension magneto should comprise a contact breaking devicegiving a spark for each break, and the current may be distributed to thecylinders by an cbonite plate keyed on the motor shaft, the said platerotating at the rate of this shaft, and the magneto at 1- times therate.

Instead of coupling the piston rods together a single or common pistonrod could lie be employed for each pair of cylinders. Such aconstruction is included in the term coupled as applied to the pistonrods.

It will be seen that with engines made according to'the presentinvention the cylinders may be fixed and the shaft and cam grooverotate, or the shaft may be fixed and the cylinders rotate.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. An internal combustion engine comprising in combination a shafthaving a semihelicoidal cam groove extending about half a turn in eachdirection, a plurality of pairs of cylinders mounted around said shaftopposite each other and having their respective piston rods coupledtogether, members carried by said piston rods and working in the camgroove, cam disks mounted on each side of the cam groove, exhaust valvesmounted at the outer ends of the respective cylinders, and rods androcking levers for operating said exhaust valves, said rods beingactuated by said cam disks, substantially as described.

2. An internal combustion engine comprising in combination a shafthaving a semihelicoidal cam groove extending about half a turn in eachdirection, a plurality of pairs of cylinders mounted around said shaftopposite each other and having their respective piston rods coupledtogether, members carried by said piston rods and working in the camgroove, cam disks mounted on each side of the cam groove, exhaust valvesmounted at the outer ends of the respective cylinders, and rods androcking levers for operating said exhaust valves, said rods beingactuated by said cam disks, and spring suction valves (8) mounted in thepistons, substantially as described.

3. An internal combustion engine comprising in combination a shafthaving a semihelicoidal cam groove extending about half a turn in eachdirection, a plurality of pairs of cylinders mounted around said shaftopposite each other in two groups and having piston rods of alinedcylinders coupled together, members carried by said piston rods andworking in the cam groove, two parti tioned frames in which the twocylinder groups are respectively mounted, a substan tially cylindricalmember to which the two frames carrying the groups of cylinders aresecured, and guides for the piston rods in said substantiallycylindrical member.

4. An internal combustion engine comprising in combination a shafthaving a semihelicoidal cam groove extending about half a turn in eachdirection, a plurality of pairs of cylinders mounted around said shaftopposite each other in two groups and having the piston rods of alinedcylinders coupled together, members carried by said piston rods andworking in the cam groove, two partitioned frames in which the twocylinstantially cylindrical member to which the two frames carrying thegroups of cylinders are secured and guides for the piston rods in saidsubstantially cylindrical member, and antifriction devices fitted insaid last mentioned guides, substantially as described.

5. An internal combustion engine comprising in combination a shafthaving a semihelicoidal cam groove extending about half a turn in eachdirection, a plurality of pairs of cylinders mounted around said shaftopposite each other in two groups and having the piston rods of alinedcylinders coupled together, members carried by said piston rods andworking in the cam groove, two partitioned frames in which the twocylinder groups are respectively mounted, each of said frames havingthree partitions formed with flanges, a motor casing attached to saidflanges, a substantially cylindrical member to which the two framescarrying the groups of cylinders are secured, and guides for the pistonrods in said substantially cylindrical member.

6. An internal combustion engine comprising in combination a shafthaving a semihelicoidal cam groove extending about half a turn in eachdirection, a plurality of pairs of cylinders mounted around said shaftopposite each other in two groups and having the piston I'Ods of alinedcylinders coupled together, members carried by said piston rods andworking in the cam groove, two partitioned frames in which the twocylinder groups are respectively mountedand which likewise form a casingfor the driving shaft, annular seatings in said shaft casing, ballbearings (R and ball thrust bearings (R in said seatings, asubstantially cylindrical member to which the two frames carrying thegroups of cylinders are secured, and guides for the piston rods in saidsubstantially cylindrical member.

7 An internal combustion engine comprising, in combination, a shaft, cammeans on the shaft, a plurality of cylinders mounted around said shaftopposite each other in two groups, pistons in said cylinders, meanscarried by the pistons to cooperate with said cam means on the shaft forrotating the latter when the pistons are actuated, two partitionedframes in which the two cylinder groups are respectively mounted, asubstantially cylindrical member to which the two frames carrying thegroups of cylinders are secured and-through which said means carried bythe pistons actuates.

8. An internal combustion enginecomprising, in combination, a rotatableshaft having a cam groove therein, a plurality of cylinders mountedaround said shaft opposite to each other in two groups, pistons in saidcylinders, means carried by the pistons to work in said cam groove torotate the shaft, two

partitioned frames in Which the two cylinder name to this specificationin the presence of groups are respectively mounted, a substantwosubscribing Witnesses.

tially cylindrical member to which the two I frames carrying the groupsof cylinders are ABEL PEYTOUREAU' secured and through Which said meanscar- Witnesses: ried by the pistons actuates. DEAN B. MAsoN,

In testimony whereof I have signed my RENE L. J. BOISSON.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

